Cocaine, HIV/AIDS drug interactions may increase cardiovascular injury

Emory University researchers will use a new $5.7 million grant from the National Institute of Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health to study the biochemical mechanisms behind cocaine and anti-viral drug interactions in mouse models of AIDS.  According to the study’s principle investigator, William Lewis, MD, “Research from our laboratory has shown that genetic products of HIV, along with anti-viral drugs, increase cells’ oxidative stress, which causes damage to the heart cells, eventually leading to heart failure.

“Cocaine, HIV/AIDS and antiretroviral nucleosides interact at multiple levels.  We want to understand which switches are being turned on and which are being turned off at the level of the gene.” 

GRA Eminent Scholar Michael Kuhar, Candler Professor of Neuropharmacology at the Emory School of Medicine will serve as a consultant to the study.

Read more here.